Listening is an important key to interpersonal competence. The folks at www.justsell.com recently released the results of a study they did on the characteristics of a good listener. Almost half of the 2,000 respondents said the key to good listening is "giving complete and focused attention to the discussion."

According to the study, the top five keys to good listening are:

Give your complete and focused attention

Talk less

Be approachable and receptive

Maintain appropriate body language

Work hard to understand the message

The study was sponsored by WebEx. You can visit www.talklesslistenmore.com to quiz yourself on your listening skills, pick up actionable tips on improving your listening in all the different roles of your life and download a no cost listening guide for offline reference.

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